


THE LAST OF US: First Kill

by ZNitro



Category: The Last of Us
Genre: Action, Blood and Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Bonding, Father-Daughter Relationship, Flashbacks, Gen, Horror, Playstation, Post-Apocalypse, Swearing, Team Bonding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:48:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24796438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZNitro/pseuds/ZNitro
Summary: Corruption. No matter where you run, no matter where you hide, it will always there to meet you around the corner.Joel and Ellie - having survived the terrors of Winter - shelter themselves in an abandoned villa. Upon Ellie's request, Joel reveals a tale from his previous life.A tale of the day he first killed a man ... in front of his daughter's own eyes.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13





	1. The Nightmare

The air was cold.

Temperatures were falling close to the point of freezing. Decaying buildings and roads were glistening with layers of frost. The air was completely still, motionless and clear. The skies above were covered with a shade of light grey, and yet there were no clouds to be seen.

Everything was silent and empty, completely abandoned.

What was once a grand metropolis of human society was now left to waste, with nature gradually taking back what was once their own to rule.

There was no life in this once ‘thriving’ world … all that was left were the memories that had been left behind.

20 years had passed since the traumatic event that spread throughout the world. A large majority of the human population were decimated by an evolved form of the Cordyceps Brain infection.

It was a day of despair.

_Step … step … step … step…_

However, amongst the deathly silence, footsteps began to echo. Each step gradually became louder with every passing second, echoing through the deathly silence.

Eventually, as time passed, two figures emerged from the far-off distance, treading along the vacant road as they continued their never-ending journey.

They were Survivors.

Humans who battled through the Post-apocalyptic world on a daily basis, pray that each day would not be their last.

The leading figure was a tall, seasoned male survivor, emulating years of experience dealing with the Hell-scape of a post-apocalyptic Earth. His hair was dark and rugged with hints of grey, along with sporting unkempt facial hair. His winter attire was beyond dirty and tattered, covered from head-to-toe in a worrying amount of bloodstains.

He had journeyed long distances and survived through deadly oppositions in order to reach his goal – striving on with the horrors and consequences of his past.

His name: Joel.

Following him was a smaller, younger female survivor. Born in this disgusting, heartless world, her experience of the harsh reality was one no one would wish on their worst enemy. Sporting auburn hair, fair skin, and green eyes, she radiated an essence of youth. Just like Joel, her attire was tattered and bloodstained beyond belief.

With no family to call her own and her remaining hope fleeting, her bond with Joel was all she had left to cherish.

She protects him, just as he protects her.

Her name: Ellie.

The two were completely silent.

Joel struggled to bring up a conversation with Ellie, whilst Ellie could not speak a word whatsoever. The awkwardness between them was crippling, showing no signs of lifting anytime soon.

It was not always like this with them. The communication between them was a key component of their bonding throughout their journey, growing to understand each other over the gruelling months.

However, trauma had set on the young Ellie, the events over the past few weeks unbearable for anyone to imagine. Her crossed paths with the Cannibal Leader David, fighting against him in a gruesome fight for survival.

The ordeal left her emotionally scarred, unable to mutter a word as the pain in her heart was too unbearable.

During the sleepless nights, all Joel could hear was her screams and weeps of terror. It pained him to see her in such torment, doing whatever he could to cater to her needs and burdens.

Any way to lighten the mood or lessen the pain, Joel would take the chance without hesitation. His desire to return her to her old, strong-willed self was priority over anything else.

And yet, nothing was successful.

They continued their trek on the road through the dead, cold wasteland. Their destination – Salt Lake City – was just over the horizon.

…At least, they hoped.

From the corner of his eye, Joel noticed Ellie shaking. He could immediately tell it was not due to the cold … but due to the trauma. He then drew in a deep breath, racking his brain for any possible ways to lighten up her spirits.

Just then, Ellie halted in her tracks.

Her eyes lowered to the ground and body tense up, she was lost in thought. Joel halted in his steps, switching to her as he wondered why she stopped.

"Joel, could we … turn in for the night?" Ellie requested in a trembling murmur, her words struggling to escape her mouth.

"Yeah … I don't see why not." Joel answered in a nod, smiling back at her before looking around. "Let's walk up a little further, I’m sure we’ll find a place worth staying tonight."

The two pressed on with their trek, continuing down the road of ruin as they searched for an ideal place of rest.

Eventually, the Sun began to set, and options of hospitality was depleting.

They were currently free from any indication of ‘Infected’ in the area – not even a peep. Usually, this would be a dream-come-true for them, free from the constant fear of death around every corner.

However, that was the problem: What was around the corner to greet them?

The thought caused Joel to grow immensely cautious, his gun arm warily hovering over the 9mm Pistol strapped to his belt.

“Hm?”

Finally, as light began to dusk, Joel noticed a small, deserted villa to the left side of the road, seemingly in stable condition compared to many others on their travels.

Joel briefly glance behind to check up on Ellie, ensuring she was still following him.

Confirming her safety, he reached the building and firmly grasped the doorknob.

However, he was hesitant to open it.

Taking in a deep breath, he carefully listened in through the crack of the door, listening closely for any hints of noises on the other side.

_Scratch…! Scratch-scratch…!_

He could hear small scratching noises in the distance, confirming that _something_ was roaming around inside.

Without second thought, he took out his 9mm, grasping onto the grip of the gun firmly. Ellie snapped out of her distant trance and took out her own from her pocket, eyes locked on Joel as she awaited instructions.

Were they fellow Survivors? Or … were they Infected?

Not a word was spoken between them, just a simple not to one another to confirm preparation for a likely encounter.

_Click!_

Finally, Joel turned the doorknob and carefully stepped into the villa, taking every step with absolute caution. Ellie followed suite; eyes focused on their surroundings with Pistol close to her side.

_Step … step … step…_

All it took was one slip up … and they were as good as dead.

Inside the villa, Walls were significantly rotten and worn away over the years: Various holes, cracks and a large mould were of plenty, slowly consuming the building; The ceiling was significantly damaged as well, large floorboards rotting and crumbling; The carpeted floor was eerily damp, as though mucus was seeping through in search of more moisture; And finally, the furniture was almost in tatters - objects such as tables, chairs, and other normal household items were damaged to the point of unusable.

An average member of society would turn their nose up at the sight … but this was nothing new to the duo.

Joel crept tough the first room, his gaze switching from one direction to another as he constantly watched for a potential ambush. During this time, Ellie focused on covering the rear, matching her steps with Joel’s.

_Step … step…! Skid!_

Suddenly, Joel halted his movement, his narrowed gaze suddenly shot open as his held silence.

Not noticing he had stopped, Ellie accidentally nudged against him – almost losing her balance. Joel caught her arm before she could cause any unexpected noise, holding her firmly in place.

Regain her stance, Ellie silently stared at Joel.

Joel gave her a nod in return, confirming her fear.

_Click! … Click-click! … Wheeze…!_

They could hear it loud and clear, its eerie clicking and wheezing echoing throughout the vacant villa.

A Clicker – an infamous member of the Infected – was camped only metres away from their position.

Joel silently yet swiftly stepped over to a nearby toppled table, crouching low behind its underside. Ellie followed his lead, crouching close by his side with Pistol at the ready. Even they had an idea of where their gruesome opponent was situated, they were consciously checking all sides for other similarly horrific vermin.

They then sighted the Clicker wandering around at the farthest side the building – passing the opening of the door leading to the kitchen area. It seemed oblivious to its surroundings, much to Joel and Ellie’s relief.

Placing a free hand on her shoulder, Joel ushered Ellie to hold her position. Ellie nodded back without objection, holding her ground as Joel pursued.

“…”

Joel used the opportunity to edge closer to the Clicker, gradually and silently grasping hold of a makeshift shiv from his belt – one that he had crafted earlier in the day. As he crept, his eyes were solely locked onto the creature whilst never breaking his low position. He slowed his breathing to the point of almost being non-existent, ensuring that no sound would escape him.

With both gun and shiv in hand, he readied the execution.

_Step … Step…_

Edging ever-so closer, he was now only a few feet from the Clicker – who began to twitch.

“ _Click-click … click…!”_

In an instant, Joel leapt into action.

_Leap! STAB!_

“ _SCREEEEEEEEEE-!!!_ ”

He struck the shiv into the Clicker's eye-socket and used his entire body weight to force the creature to the ground.

The Clicker screeched as it fell, throwing its arms and legs erratically as it tried to fight back. However, Joel held firm, the veins in his arms popping from the skin as he continued to strike his shiv into the infected creature.

His teeth seething, he held strong until he can confirm its death.

And then, after a moment of constant wriggling and spasms, Joel felt the Clicker’s movement cease.

The Clicker was no more.

_Crack!_

As he attempted to dislodge the shiv, he was met with a disheartening crack. It was useless to him now, much to his disappointment.

He threw the scrapped shiv away and gradually returned to his feet, eyes glaring at the Clicker’s corpse.

“Nngh…!?”

Suddenly, he felt a sharp sting erupt from his abdomen.

An old wound – inflicted from a rusted rebar during a scuffle with an opposing Survivor – began to react immensely. Ensuring the medical patch was still strapped to him, Joel reactively soothed it, hoping it had not reopened during his struggle with the Clicker.

“JOEL!”

_Grab! CRASH!_

“ _ScreeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-!!!_ ”

Hearing Ellie’s scream, Joel was abruptly thrown off his feet and slammed into a nearby wall, a screech wailing at his ear with relentless fury.

A second Clicker had unexpectedly flanked him from behind the kitchen wall, aggressively chomping at Joel.

Joel desperately grabbed the neck of the Clicker, struggling to restrain the creature from tearing into his flesh. Baring his teeth, Joel cursed himself for dropping his gun, completely at a loss for an escape.

“GET OFF HIM, YOU FUCKER!!!”

Unexpectedly, Ellie latched onto the back of Clicker in haste, relentlessly stabbing at it with her switchblade.

The Clicker screeched as it released Joel from its grasp, flailing around in a desperate attempt to throw Ellie off.

With no time to lose, Joel scrambled for his 9mm Pistol and aimed it at the Clicker.

He timed the shot…

_BANG!_

…And succeeded.

“ _Eeerrgh…_ ”

_…Clump!_

The second Clicker was no more.

There was a moment of silence between Joel and Ellie as they took a moment to recover from the Infected assault. Joel was gasping for air, his mind racing at the thought of almost losing his life to a Clicker. Beside him, Ellie was violently shaking, refusing to release her grasp on her trusty switchblade.

Painfully clutching his abdomen, Joel struggled to his feet and limped over to assist Ellie. As he helped her to her feet, Joel lightly patted her on the shoulder.

“You did good, kiddo.”

The next hour or so, the two momentarily split up and searched the villa. Inspecting every room, nook and cranny for potential signs of the Infected – grabbing any necessary resources they could find. They also disposed of the Infected corpses, dragging them out of the villa and into a nearby ditch.

Eventually, after confirming the villa was safe, they gathered close to a small fireplace in the living room and allowed it to burn. Joel stoked the flames as Ellie sat on the nearby sofa chair and prepared rations from their bags.

It did not take long for night to emerge, the cold air growing prevalent by the second.

They nibbled on their rations in silence, taking in the peaceful yet somewhat sorrowful atmosphere casted from the small flames in front of them. As the munched away, Joel glanced over towards Ellie, wondering about her wellbeing.

He quickly thought of a conversation starter, praying it would finally cheer her up.

It was a long shot … but he gave it a go.

"Y'know, I should really get myself one of those ‘switchblades’ … like yours." Joel lightly chuckled, showing off a calm smile. "Shivs are good for the short run, but … they’re shit when you need them the most."

Ellie silently nodded, instinctively taking out the switchblade from her pocket and began to play with it. Joel watched her, giving out a quiet sigh as he leaned back on his sofa chair in failure.

"…Especially when you need to use them for opening busted doors, right?" Ellie silently chuckled back, giving him a light smile as she continued to play with the blade. "You're always close to ‘raging’ when you can't open one of the damn things. Heh-heh-hee…!"

Joel switched back to Ellie’s direction with a surprised glance, a cast of genuine delight in seeing a smile crack through her at long last.

Returning a smirk, he continued the conversation.

"Tsk! Yeah … tell me about it." Joel tutted as he rested against his sofa, acting somewhat exaggerated in his displeasure. "I bet there were a decent amount of supplies behind some of those damned doors, too…."

The conversation continued naturally, shifting topics to other random interests – usually aspects of life before the Cordyceps Outbreak.

Eventually, they fell silent once again, yet this time the atmosphere around them was less suffocating. During this time, the fire continued to flicker peacefully in the fireplace, giving off a warm, homely glow.

Joel blankly stared off to the ceiling above, gradually drifting in-and-out of sleep as his mind began to clear. He felt relaxed for the first time in week – maybe even months. His mind wondered, dreaming of a life free of constant fear and torment.

A life before the Outbeak.

A life he wished Ellie to experience.

Just then, Joel caught a brief glance of Ellie examining an item of interest from her bag, sitting up a curiosity swayed him. It was difficult to tell what the item was at first glance, initially believing it to be a photo.

"What've you got there, Ellie?" Joel wondered casually, squinting his eyes.

"Hm? … Oh! N-nothing!" Ellie hastily responded, acting oblivious as she slipped the photo under the sheets.

Joel's eyebrow rose curiously.

“Come on, you can tell me.” He then cheekily ushered, unable to hide his curiosity.

“Not happening.” Ellie immediately stated, shutting him down.

Letting out a light chuckle, Joel decided not to pursue, feeling it was none of his business. He shrugged and laid back, closing his eyes as he allowed the realm of dreams to take him.

The hours slipped by as both Ellie and Joel were completely adrift in sleep.

The flame in the fireplace were still simmering, hints of embers glowing in amongst the pile of ash at formed from the burnt logs. Not a sound could be heard between them – only the small, frosty breaths escaping their mouths as they continued to sleep in peace.

However, this did not last.

Ellie began to rustle around uncomfortably underneath her blanket, tossing and turning constantly. She eventually gripped the armrest of the seat, sweat profusely as her breaths began to hasten.

"N-no…" She groaned, tensing anxiously as she slept. "G-get … the fuck back … from me…”

Just then, she began to kick out, causing the sheet to fall to the floor. She jolted and shifted abruptly, acting as though she was cornered against her will.

And then … she screamed out.

“AH-AAAAH!!! GET OFF! GET OFF!!!”

She shrieked and screamed, tears running down her flustered cheeks as she cried in torment.

The started Joel leapt out of his seat and grabbed his 9mm, aiming it with finger on the trigger. His eyes darted from one side to another, expecting another Infected or a vicious Survivor leaping out to attack them.

However, he soon realised that they were still alone in the villa, realising exactly what had happened. He swiftly slipped his gun back into his belt and attended to the shrieking Ellie.

He knelt and placed his hands on her shoulders, gently securing her from causing damage to herself.

"Ellie … Ellie! Wake up!" Joel called to her as he shook her lightly, unable to hide the concern in his eyes.

"N-NO! GET AWAY!!!"

Ellie continued to shriek in her sleep, kicking out and pushing herself away in a desperate attempt to escape.

"Damn it, Girl! You're having another nightmare!" Joel then yelled.

Ellie eyes abruptly shot open.

She jumped up in bewilderment as she noticed Joel in front of her, her eyes filled with tears and body trembling completely.

Joel sighed and stood up, allowing Ellie to regain her bearings.

Ellie hesitated momentarily as she adjusts to her surroundings, overcome with relief as she realised where they were. She cuffed the tears from her eyes and cheeks and leant back against her seat.

“I-I'm sorry…” Ellie croakily muttered, holding back her pained emotions.

"It’s fine.” Joel waved off, showing his sympathy for her. “You’ve been through a lot.”

Hearing his words, Ellie looked away in regret.

“…Right.”

"Just sit back … I'll grab you some water and something to eat.” Joel then assured her, rummaging through his bag for a water bottle and some snacks.

Ellie watched him silently, wishing she could end the nightmares – more for Joel’s sake rather than her own.

"Here, catch." Joel suddenly called out, chucking her a bottle of water and a piece of shortbread.

In a snap, she grabbed them without effort, a hint of satisfaction showing as she nibbled on the shortbread.

Joel sat back on his own seat, rubbing his tired, bloodshot eyes.

He was ready to drift off to sleep, his mind wondering once again upon thinking of their morning plans.

However, what followed had caught him completely off-guard.

"Hey … Joel?" Ellie asked him in a quiet murmur, cautious not to bother him.

"Hm..?"

He glanced over to her, who was preoccupied on swigging her water bottle.

"Could you … tell me a story?" She politely requested, shuffling on the pillow of her seat. "Y'know … a story from your life before the Outbreak."

Joel struggled to think, surprised that she wished to hear more tales of life before the outbreak.

However, he gave in, deciding to comply to her request.

"Sure, I don't see why not." Joel nodded in acceptance, giving her a calm smile. "What do you want to hear about? Let me guess … something gritty?"

"Yeah, that would be cool! Or even better: how you became a relentless badass!" Ellie jumped up in anticipation, her expressions becoming livelier as she spoke.

She then settled, showing a rare cast of honesty.

"To be honest though … I’d like to hear more about Sarah."

“…”

Joel's body jolted, feeling a shiver crawl up his spine as he heard the name.

He felt anxious, unable to think how to approach this subject as the dilemma struck him deep.

"Ah! I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to … t-to tread on thin ice." Ellie hastily apologised, her eyes wavering to the item she hid. "I know it's personal, but … I was curious about her."

Hearing her words, Joel sighed.

"I think it's time for me to open up." Joel finally admitted; his eyes closed as he cleared his head. "Just keep this to yourself, ok? I wouldn't normally reveal about this to others – hell, I haven’t even brought this up with Tommy since the Outbreak.”

Ellie looked at him oddly, wondering what he was referring to.

“…In fact, I wish I forgot about it."

"Joel?" she murmured with a concerned expression, staring at him with an innocent gaze.

After a final deep breath, he cautiously answered.

"Two years before the Outbreak, I killed a man.” He lowly admitted, expressing his regret. “Sarah was only 10 at the time … and she witnessed everything."


	2. Hands Forever Stained

"It was the middle of March – Sarah was at school and I had the day off work … for once."

Joel began to narrate his story, his voice trembling as he painfully thought back to the days before the Outbreak.

"It was a big day for us. She had an important soccer match immediately after school hours, and I … I promised her that I would be there for the action."

"I heard from Tommy that she was a talented player." Ellie briefly interjected, beaming with interest.

Joel then glared at her, a suspicious scowl forming across his face as he judgingly watched her.

“What else my brother say about her?" He stubbornly questioned her, feeling the privacy of his past life was compromised.

"N-nothing else! I swear!" Ellie instantly jumped to answer, holding up her hands to show her innocence.

“Hmm…”

Joel hesitantly held his tongue, forming a mental note to investigate the matter with Tommy once they return from their trip. Ellie fidgeted in her seat, somewhat regretting her earlier comment.

And then, Joel continued.

"Heh … Yeah. She was a natural." Joel admitted with a hint of bride, giving a small grin underneath his greying facial hair.

He paused, gazing at the simmering fireplace.

"One of the best…"

**22 years ago …**

The younger Joel – in his late-20s – was situated in the ground floor office room of his home in Austin, Texas, tinkering away in front of his desk. Completely exhausted due to his extensive construction work schedule, Joel had effectively made use of his day off to catch up on his sleep.

After a long shower and wearing fresh clothing, Joel felt he was at the prime of his life once again.

Scattered around his table were small, metal trinkets, a simple desktop, and his wristwatch. With screwdriver in hand, Joel decided to attempt to fix his broken watch. Having only bought the watch a few months back, he recently found it stop working not long after. He considered returning it to the shop … yet decided it best to do some necessary DIY.

Unfortunately, his fruitless attempts were unsuccessful.

_Bzzt…! Bzzt…! BZZT…!_

Suddenly, a vibration rang from Joel's rear pocket, causing him to leap up from his position in abrupt fright. Hastily, he retrieved the ringing cell-phone from his pocket, blinking as he read the name on the screen.

It was Sarah – his daughter.

Swiftly, he pressed the icon on the touchscreen and placed the phone against his ear.

"Hey honey … what's up?" Joel casually answered, leaning back on his seat.

"Hey, Dad." Sarah's soft – yet tomboyish – voice responded. "There's been a change of plan with the game. Kick-Off’s starting earlier than planned."

"Oh, really? What's the new Kick-Off time?" Joel curiously wondered.

"…In 20 minutes."

Joel jumped up from his seat.

“Wha-!?”

_Whack!_

He then reactively smacked his smacked his knee against the table, causing him to limp out in a burst of pain.

"Are you okay, Dad?” Sarah then asked out, wondering what was happening on the other side of the connection. “I heard a bang."

"Yeah! No! I'm fine." Joel instantly answered, seething in pain as he hobbled to the door. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there.”

Through his haste, he slipped of the pair of sneakers and made his way to the front door of the house.

"Wait … you’re STILL at home!?" Sarah then realised, noticing her Father’s hastened breaths. "You told me you’d leave extra early today!"

"As I said: don't worry about it.” Joel swiftly excused, snatching a jacket from a wall hook upon exiting the house. “I'm just heading over now."

Although he said this, he was cursing himself deep down. He remembered promising her he would leave ‘extra early’ to beat the traffic.

"…You better be there on time." Sarah’s voice then murmured.

Joel winced momentarily, feeling his daughter’s pressure loom over him.

But then … he decided to get cocky.

"How about a bet.” Joel cheekily proposed, expressing his confidence. "Before the game starts, I want you to look towards the audience. If you cannot find me in the audience, I promise I will take you to see the 'Dawn of the Wolf' film you’ve been dying to see. However, if I am there … we'll go to my 'favourite' café.”

There was silence in the phone.

“Do we have a deal?"

"...Fine." Sarah finally yet hesitantly accepted.

With a smile, Joel concluded the conversation, "Great. See you there."

He heard Sarah's _bye_ just as he pressed the ‘end-call’ icon.

He rushed out the house as swiftly as possible, securely locking the door behind him as he left. He instantly approached his Outback Truck without second thought, praying he had not forgotten any necessary belongings.

Then, as he was about to step into the vehicle, he heard a friendly yet outspoken voice call to him from the distance.

"Yo, Joel! You seem in a rush!" The familiar voice greeted, noticing Joel rushing to his truck. "Are you headin' off somewhere?"

Almost stumbling over his own feet, Joel switched to the source of the voice – catching sight of a familiar face.

It was from his overly enthusiastic neighbour: Jimmy Cooper.

Joel caught notice of Jimmy fixing up the fence near the side of his family's house. In terms of his appearance, he was average build with fair skin, wearing a smile that was approachable yet somewhat unnerving.

"Yeah. My daughter's soccer game is starting soon … and I'm running late." Joel firmly answered back, a foot firm on the floor of the truck as he ducked inside.

Jimmy gave a small yet upbeat nod, “Let me know how it goes!”

After that, he proceeded with the work on his fence, knocking nails firmly against the wood.

_Vroom … Vroom-VROOM!!!_

Joel twisted the key and started the engine instantly, hearing it give the familiar echoing and obnoxious roar. He placed the gear stick in reverse and directed the truck onto the road before finally driving away.

***

It was typical Texan weather: the sunlight beating down on the earth at scorching temperatures with no clouds in sight. The country roads were dry and brittle, breaking up as the truck's large tyres ran through.

Wearing a pair of shades and hands firm on the wheel, Joel focused solely on his destination.

As he continued to speed across the county landscape, Joel constantly checked the clock displayed on his car radio. As expected, the clock was ticking fast – causing his heart rate to accelerate.

He could not help but question whether he was going to reach the school on time, unable to bear the thought of facing his daughter if he were late.

Initially, the outskirts of Austin were free from any traffic, allowing him to roam free without any inconvenient to hold him up.

However, this moment of bliss did not last long.

As the moment he entered the city, he found the roads completely packed. Vehicles were moving in and out, commuters blasting their horns at one another as the road rage gradually escalated.

It was like an all-out urban war.

Sweat began to roll from Joel’s forehead, panic beginning to set in. If the city roads were empty, he would be at the school with time to spare. However, at the rate he was going, the possibility of reaching the school would soon be an impossibility.

Gritting his teeth, Joel’s frustration began to boil over. He knew the city inside-and-out, every shortcut and detour one could imagine.

…And yet, the one time he needed it was the one time he was stuck with no shortcuts in sight.

Joel had no choice but to pray for a miracle.

And then, after shifting forward at a snail’s pace, a perfect shortcut was in his sight.

Without hesitation, Joel used this opportunity to swerve and exit his lane, entering a small road leading directly to the school.

At this point, he was racing – completely ignoring the clock on his radio as he rushed for the finishing line.

***

Upon finally entering the school grounds, Joel hastily parked the truck and exited to the field next to the school's proud building. There, he found a small, compact stadium consisting of a few rows of seats and the soccer arena itself. The stadium had small banners reading _DEFENDERS!_ in blocked letters – expressing the pride in their home team.

The sight alone gave Joel goose bumps, feeling a sense of pride for his daughter as she was a respected member of the team.

Just then, Joel caught sight of a volunteering official with a tablet, logging in the spectators as they arrived at the stadium. She was clearly young yet was clearly committed to the job.

In the background were buzzing commotions spanning almost the entirety of the stadium. It was apparent that the other spectators and officials were already inside, waiting for the game to begin. Joel hastily rushed up to volunteer, picking out a small ticket from his pocket whilst wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Hey. I'm here to watch the game." Joel breathlessly spoke as he approached the girl, taking a moment to catch his breath as he handed over the ticket.

The girl swiped her pad as she searched for the name that appeared on the ticket. During this time, Joel fidgeted from where he stood, unable to keep calm as the time ticked on.

"Ah! Joel Miller." The girl finally answered upon finding the name. "You’ll need to be quick, the game’s about to begin. Do you know where your seat is?"

Joel then nodded.

"Yes, I do."

"Well then … enjoy the game." The girl nodded cheerfully, giving him a kind smile.

Joel nodded back and stepped passed her, heading his way up the metal steps towards the stadium’s seating area.

He could hear the crowd’s claps and cheers as he emerged from the stairwell, noticing the game was counting down to Kick-Off. As he was catching his breath, Joel’s eyes hastily searched the playing field for his daughter, hoping to spot her before it was too late.

During this time, the two opposing all-girls teams stood in their allocated positions, stretching out and ready for action.

He focused on the home team, knowing Sarah was positioned on the mid-field.

And then, he finally caught sight of her – who was seemingly searching for him too.

“Ah!”

He straightened up and threw a hand up in the air, waving as excessively as possible in hopes of getting her attention.

Sarah searched the crowd for her Father, both her body and mind tensed up as she awaited the whistle.

She had short, dark blonde hair, light blue eyes, and pale skin. Tomboyish in personality, her upbringing had allowed her to be very forward in her motives and confident in her approach to various scenarios. She had a decent mix of male and female friends – some of whom were members of the team.

Continuously searching the crowds, concern started to grow over her face. Ever since her call with her Dad, she had kept her worries to a minimum, even going so far as to brush it off completely whenever she was asked by her teammates.

 _Where is he…?_

Within that small moment, her eyes caught sight of a figure on the platform waving to her in an exaggerated fashion.

She found him.

With a big cheesy grin, she threw her hands up and waved back ecstatically, overjoyed to see him just before the whistle blew.

_Fweeeet!!!_

Joel's mind snapped in realisation as he heard the whistle.

He instantly indicated to Sarah, telling her to hurry and get her mind in the game. Sarah nodded in immediate response, expressing her determination as she turned and locked eyes on the ball.

With a strong push from her legs, she ran and set herself up to receive the ball.

As this was happening, Joel searched the stand for his allocated seat, quickly noticing the convenient gap to the far left of him – between a young couple and an old woman in her late 60s/early 70s.

And so, the game commenced.

The First half played to the Defender's favour: the striker of the team scoring the opening goal within the first 12 minutes of the game and the entire team cooperating in top form. Sarah assisted by ensuring the opening for the striker, blocking the opposing players from intervening the pursuit.

The current score: 1-0 to the Defenders.

As the match continued, the Defender’s goalie had caught the ball as it flew towards her, effectively preventing the opposing team from evening the score.

However, as the first half was close to ending, the Defender’s defence had slipped up and were unsuccessful in obstructing the opposing team as they raced for the goal. With this, the opposing team gained their opening and easily scored their first goal – ending the first half of the game as 1-1.

As the teams had entered half-time, the Defenders huddled. Through their discussion, they chose to prioritize ‘the defensive approach’ for the second half, allowing the team to save their energy until the concluding moments of the game.

With that, the teams returned to the field, positioning themselves accordingly as they awaited.

_Fweeeet!!!_

Both teams set out to execute their strategies: The Defenders entering ‘defensive mode’ whilst the opposition charged for an ‘all-out attack’.

The Defenders’ strategy was played to their favour, preventing the opposing team from fulfilling any of their attempts for the goal.

However, the opposing team executed a new strategy: block the Defenders Team from retrieving the ball at all costs. Because of this, they had overwhelmed the Defenders and swiftly scored their second goal.

The current score: 2-1 to the opposing team.

As the clock continued to tick on, the Defenders instantly switched to the attack, feeling the pressure against them.

Although it was a struggle to break through the opposing defence, a fellow mid-fielder to Sarah was able to slip through three oncoming attackers. She swerved with the ball and booted it into the goal – evening the score once again.

The current score: 2-2.

The end of the match was closing upon them, just as both teams showing inevitable signs of fatigue.

Struggling to find effective openings, both teams were initially unable to score due to their equal levels of participation. Both were desperate to break the checkmate, praying for an extension to their time.

Thankfully, the referee allowed for additional time – approximately 3 minutes.

This was their last chance.

Sarah decided to assist her team’s striker as they entered full attack-mode, adamant that her team would score the final goal. As they charged with the ball, they found it close-to-impossible to break through the opposing team’s wall of defending players.

For a moment, they felt completely overwhelmed.

However, Sarah pushed onwards, successfully closing in on the goal whilst her ‘striker’ teammate swerved through the tackling players.

In that very moment, Sarah found her opening.

"Kerry, pass!"

As she yelled to her teammate, the striker booted the ball over the wall of enemy players.

Her gaze locked onto the incoming soccer ball, Sarah sprinted ahead and struck it without delay.

_BAM!_

The ball shot towards the opposition’s goal, causing the goalie to suddenly react and leap with reaching arms.

At first, it had seemed that the ball would be caught by the goalie – much to Sarah's rising anxiousness. However, the goalie had leapt a fraction too early as the ball skimmed her fingers.

And with that, the ball struck the net.

Joel – who had his eyes locked on Sarah through the entire game – threw his arms up and roared out in joy.

“YEEEEEEEEAAAAAH!!! THAT’S MY GIRL!”

_FWEEEEEEEET!_

The final score: 3-2 to the Defenders.

The team hastily gathered and threw Sarah up in the air with delight, all cheering in paise of her defining goal.

***

"So … what’s it like being the 'Best Player'?" Joel cheerfully began the conversation, sipping away on his mug of coffee.

With everything finally concluded, Joel and Sarah left the school grounds and sat in Joel's 'favourite' café - enjoying a coffee and cola respectfully. On the small table was a trophy – a commemoration to show that Sarah was the ‘best player’ in the game.

The adrenaline from the game had yet to settle, both father and daughter drunk with the feeling of accomplishment.

"I mean … I almost slipped up a few times during the second half..." Sarah admitted as she began to nit-pick her performance.

“…That’s not what I asked.” Joel muttered as he took another sip of coffee.

“Oh, right.” Sarah then perked up, beaming from ear-to-ear. “Yeah! It’s awesome!”

Joel nodded, "Well, good. All that matters is the ‘end-result’ – and you passed with flying colours.”

The atmosphere around them felt perfect: quiet, relaxed, and a touch of tranquillity.

And then, Joel reached into his jacket pocket.

“I know it was only part of our bet, but…”

He then passed two ticket stubs to the oblivious Sarah.

“…Why don’t we go see ‘Dawn of the Wolf’ after this?”

Sarah eyes lit up in an instant, almost leaping out of her chair entirely as excitement consumed her completely.

“YES! THANK YOU – THANK YOU – THANK YOU!!!” She squeaked ecstatically, bouncing on her seat without any thought of her surroundings.

Whilst Sarah was completely oblivious, Joel could see all eyes within the café shifting and staring at them in curiosity. Even so, Joel allowed her to have her moment, believing she deserved her treat.

Finally, as the excitement settled, the two continued to sip on their drinks. They felt perfectly tranquil as they watched the world fly be outside the window beside them. They proceeded to chat, bringing up various topics – including the state of Joel’s busted watch.

However, as they talked, Sarah's eyes began to shift to somewhere behind her father. She brushed it off at first, believing it to be a non-issue.

And then, she grew unexpectedly uneasy, feeling a sense of cautiousness in the air.

Time passed and both were close to finish up their drinks. Joel was casually lying back on his seat whilst Sarah was showing significant anxious.

Finally, she decided to consult her growing worries with her father.

"Dad … that guy’s been staring at me for a while now." Sarah whispered to him, fidgeting on her seat. "It's starting to freak me out."

"…Yeah, I see him." Joel silently nodded back, actively avoiding eye-contact.

He spotted a man sitting a few tables away from them, staring directly at them without distraction.

The man was young – seemingly in his early 20s – and had light brown hair, smooth fair skin and hazel eyes. He had a laid-back posture, showing off a cool yet unnerving smile – as though he was planning something devious.

The man’s eyes were concentrated on Sarah, as though eclipsed by her appearance.

…He had been doing this ever since Joel and Sarah had entered the café.

"Sarah, drink up.” Joel whispered to her, swiftly finishing his own. “We're heading back to the Truck."

Sarah nodded and gulped back her cola, finishing it in seconds.

They then stood up, collected the trophy from the table and directed themselves out of the café.

As Joel passed the man's table, the two briefly met eyes. The man shot a glare at Joel before suddenly switching his sights to the window – acting oblivious to the scenario.

The two swiftly exited the building – having already paid for their drinks – and rushed down the street to where Joel had parked his Truck.

"Dad, what about the movie?" Sarah questioned him, feeling conflicted about leaving so soon.

"It’s fine. I’ll rebook the tickets when we get home." Joel calmly answered back.

“Ok…”

The two then momentarily checked behind, hoping they were not being followed.

At first no one had exited the building – somewhat confirming that it was just their paranoia.

However, Joel then noticed the man exiting the café … following them.

The man was lean and average in height, lacking any significant muscle. And yet, he had a full rucksack strapped to his back, carrying an assortment of heavy items.

Joel and Sarah instinctively increased their walking pace, swerving in and out of the oncoming crowds. Joel consistently checked on their ominous pursuer whilst Sarah began to panic.

"Dad, t-this is scaring me." Sarah quietly spoke out, struggling to contain her panic.

"I know, Honey. Just don't look back." Joel reassured her, his eyes constantly shifting as he hoped to locate a way to escape.

Behind them, the man continued to pursue, keeping a constant stride as his eyes were locked on to Sarah.

And then Joel came to a sudden realisation: they needed to pass a small alleyway to reach the Truck.

“Argh … crap.”

Joel cursed at himself, regretting the earlier decision.

“W-what?” Sarah yelped upon hearing her Dad.

“Nothing. Just keep walking.” Joel bluntly answered, concentrating on his direction.

Eventually, the two slipped into the alley.

Joel knew it was a risk yet believed there was no other way around. As they pressed on, Joel noticed a CCTV camera attached to the corner of one of the buildings beside them.

_Please be working! Please be working!_

Joel continued to pray for any possible fortune to be on their, thinking over everything he believed could deter their pursuer.

Unfortunately, these thoughts were useless.

_WHAM!_

"NNGH!!!" Joel grunted out in sudden agony, collapsing to the floor.

"DAD–! MMPH!?" Sarah screamed before she was abruptly gagged with a cloth.

Joel was struck on the back of the head by a blunt object, causing him to lose his concentration and balance.

He made a desperate attempt to regain his focus, hearing his daughter struggling against her will.

"S-SARAH!" Joel roared back, staggering to his feet.

As his sights adjusted, he found the culprit standing before him, holding onto the gagged Sarah as hostage. In his opposite hand was a metal bat, seemingly originating from his backpack.

"Get the hell off her, you bastard." Joel warned in a low growl, gritting his teeth in rage.

The man before him stayed silent, juggling the bat in his hand as though purposely taunting Joel.

_DASH!_

Without hesitation, Joel leapt into action.

He charged at the man with full force, his fists becoming rock solid as he lost all sense of care for what he was about to do.

In retaliation, the man shoved Sarah to the side and readied his bat, his bloodshot gaze targeting Joel in inhumane malice.

“MMPH!”

Sarah struck the ground, completely shaken and traumatised.

The man at Joel with the metal bat, aiming directly for his head. Joel immediately ducked, avoiding the bat by mere inches before retaliating with an unyielding crack to the jaw.

“Oof!”

The man staggered back, almost losing his footing.

Joel pushed forward with no delay, refusing to stop his retaliation. He grasped the man’s wrist that held the bat and brutally slugged him with his other fist several times over.

The fact that this ‘scumbag’ of a man attempted to kidnap his daughter infuriated him beyond human comprehension. As a father, he desired nothing more than to see this man dead and buried.

Noticing the kidnapper being forced back, the petrified Sarah quickly reacted by shifted her body and holding out her legs. The man’s feet accidently caught her legs, causing him to trip back in an uncontrollable stumble.

“Wah!?”

As the man stumbled back, Joel used the opportunity to tackle him to the ground, showing no mercy.

_CLUMP!_

The two landed hard, causing the kidnapper to lose grip of his metal bat. Joel instinctively kicked the bat away before grasping the man tight around his neck tight. The kidnapper did the same, latching onto Joel’s neck with desperate grasps and wild eyes.

Whilst the two men struggled, Sarah pulled the cloth away from her mouth and scrambled away from the two. She hastily hid behind a nearby indent in the wall, eyes streaming with tears and overwhelmed with horror of the situation.

_WHACK!_

“Urk!”

Just then, the kidnapper kicked up and struck Joel in the abdomen with his knee, causing him to lurch sideways.

The tables were abruptly turned, with Joel now on the ground with the kidnapper restraining him. Showing no remorse, struck Joel in the face thrice … before reaching behind to his belt.

Joel was about to retaliate … but held off as he noticed what the kidnapper had taken from his belt.

_Click._

In that instant, Joel found a loaded Revolver being aimed directly at his forehead.

"Don’t bother, shithead." The man manically growled, his mouth seeping with blood and a blackened bruise forming around his menacingly bloodshot gaze.

Joel froze in place, holding his silence as he began to rethink his situation.

"That girl…" The kidnapper then heavily breathed, his body shaken with adrenaline and exhaustion. "…is coming with me."

"What … what do you want … with my daughter?" Joel gasped in question, struggling to hold back to desire to strike at the man.

"Oh, things … too graphic for you to know." The man then chuckled with a wheeze, smiling with blood seeping from his mouth.

Joel’s eyes widened in horror; his jaw tensed, and fist clenched … as he knew exactly what this depraved man was planning.

"What is my reason, you ask…?” The kidnapper chuckled away, pressing the Revolver hard against Joel’s forehead – leaving a mark.

Joel stayed silent and the man drew close and whispered.

“Well … just to satisfy a craving."

In that very moment, Joel’s face went ghostly pale.

"D-Dad…?" Sarah whimpered almost soundlessly, noticing her father frozen and silent.

The man nodded as he chuckled, smiling to Joel with his insane eyes and lustful smirk.

"Good." He muttered in a raspy tone, rising to his feet whilst keeping the Revolver directed at its target. “Stay there … and let me do my ‘thing’.”

Joel let out a long, silent breath, unable to move his body

"DAD!?" Sarah screamed out, shuffling backwards as she noticed the kidnapper eerily switch to her.

The man gave out another raspy chuckle, feeling as though he was in complete control.

_Lurch!_

Noticing the kidnapper was distracted and fixed on Sarah, Joel threw himself forward and relentlessly grasped the man – ensuring one hand was latched onto the man's gun hand.

Using his body weight, Joel forced the kidnapper onto the ground once again – face first this time.

_BAM!_

The moment the kidnapper struck the floor, Joel took hold of his gun arm with both hands and positioned his knee against it.

In one flash move, he slammed his knee hard and pulled back at the same time … causing an echoing crack.

_CRACK!_

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGHH!!!”

Joel had completely snapped the man's arm like a fragile twig, allowing him to claim the Revolver as the man roared out in bellowing agony.

Joel used this opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

With the gun now in his possession, Joel pressed the barrel against the back of the kidnapper’s head.

The kidnapper froze in place, squirming as his arm was left in an inhumane angle.

"I-I-I-I'm s-sorry…!" the man mumbled in fear, stumbling on his words as he apologised.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?" Joel roared out in unrelenting fury, his grip tightening on the Revolver with finger hovering over the trigger.

"I'M SORRY!!!" The kidnapper yelped, completely overturning his once manic attitude to that of a wimp.

Joel fell silent as he held his position, his conscience screaming at him to pull the trigger and end the unforgivable lifeform before him.

He could imagine it being easy … like pressing a switch to turn off a light.

He could do it…

…yet ultimately decided to spare the man.

"You’ll walk away … and turn yourself in to the cops.” Joel directed the man in a lowly growl, wavering the Revolver in his hand. “You’ll never go near my daughter … do you understand?”

"Y-yes..." The man answered as he fearfully stuttered, giving a shaky nod.

Joel continued to hold the gun to the kidnapper’s head, seriously contemplating whether to shoot him anyway and fulfil his looming desire. And yet, he could imagine the consequences of his actions, even it he used the excuses of ‘self-defence’ and ‘protecting his vulnerable daughter’.

And so, he made his choice.

Joel stood and shuffled back to Sarah’s position, holding his focus on the downed man.

Sarah watched her Father carefully approach, frozen in her place as her eyes were welled up with tears.

"Come on.” Joel soothingly called to her, holding out his free hand. “Let's go home, Baby Girl."

Sarah silently nodded, unable to speak a word.

Taking his hand, Sarah slowly rose to her feet, using her Father as support.

Before leaving, Joel called up the authorities, staring at the kidnapper as he explained the situation and their location.

With confirmation of the police heading to the location, he hung up his phone and stepped back, finally directing his attention to where he parked his truck. A small part of him wondered why no one had witnessed the scene unfold, feeling it was too much of a coincidence that there was no response from the nearby public.

However, he decided to sweep the thought aside and place his focus on his daughter’s wellbeing.

The two turned, finally leaving the depraved man by his lonesome as the police sirens could be heard in a distance.

This was a mistake that Joel would soon regret…

"DADDY, LOOK OUT!" Sarah abruptly screamed out at the top of her lungs, having briefly glanced back at the kidnapper.

Joel instinctively released her hand and switched round. He momentarily caught notice of the man as he felt his neck get throttled.

"HOW DARE YOU WALK AWAY FROM ME!!!" The kidnapper manically bellowed out, his eyes excessively wild and bloodshot.

"G-GET OFF-!" Joel roared back, struggling to keep control as he fell back.

But then, an ear-piercing echo erupted across the corridor-like alleyway, sending the world into deafening silence.

It was a gunshot.

_BANG!_

Joel laid frozen on the ground, his eyes widened and unable to blink.

Blood gradually began to seep onto his clothing, staining the once fresh attire.

At first, he thought that it was his own blood, feeling incredibly faint and weary. His body was numb, as though he lacked any sense of pain that engulfed his body.

However, he then realised the truth of the situation.

The kidnapper was now lying on top of him, completely limp and deadweight. There was no tension or movement in his body.

He was lifeless.

As the horrific realisation set in, Joel hastily shoved the kidnapper’s body off his own, reactively shuffling away as the blood covered almost his entire body.

He then raised his numb hands, staring at them in complete shock.

With one hand gripped the Revolver, he noticed his bloodied finger was firmly pressed against the trigger.

It was at that moment where he knew … the man before him was dead.

Silently, Sarah stepped up to his Father, unable to comprehend what had happened.

"Dad, w-what have you…?" Sarah shakily murmured as she used as much courage as she could to muster up words.

And yet, she was unable to finish her question.

"I-I don't know…" Joel breathlessly muttered back, attempting to wipe and scratch away the blood covering his hands. "I d-don't know w-what I'm supposed to do."

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!”

Abruptly, a blood-curdling scream filled the echoing alleyway.

Both Joel and Sarah leapt in abrupt fright, switching to face the one who screamed.

Standing before them – her hands clasped over her mouth in terror – was a grown woman.

She had long red hair, her green eyes distraught and skin as pale as a ghost. She wore a long, engulfing brown coat and held a matching brown – seemingly expensive – handbag.

The woman before Joel and Sarah was now a witness.

However, it had not ended with her.

Behind the horrified woman was a crowd of onlooking civilians – all of whom had heard the gunshot and gathered to curiously observe the crime scene.

Joel then murmured under his breath.

"Oh … Shit."


End file.
